A Pennsylvania couple are facing charges after authorities found their five children living in “deplorable conditions” inside their Redstone Township home that functioned as a “dungeon.”
James Russell Kahl, 65, and Carly Kahl, 41, are accused of keeping their children locked inside a home with no beds, boarded-up windows, feces splattered on bedroom walls, fleas and a limited supply of food and clothing, KDKA reported.
They were arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment.
Authorities were called to the couple’s Redstone Township home, about 46 miles south of Pittsburgh, last month after receiving reports that the children, ages five to 14, were living in “deplorable conditions.”
The father, James Russell Kahl, would allegedly lock the children in their bedrooms from the outside, keeping them stuck inside most of the day and all of the night, authorities said.
Authorities said the room functioned as a “dungeon” and was equipped with video cameras.
“Well, it appears that these children were basically held in captivity in this room. We have evidence that there were some cameras that were hard-wired to another room where these children were being observed. And again, there’s no reason to be using a device like a stun gun, which is less lethal, not non-lethal, against the child,” Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said, according to WTAE.
Police also noticed three deadbolt locks on the outside of the door, which had no handle, meaning the children could not escape.
“It is sickening. That is the only word to describe it. It’s sickening,” trooper Ally Wilson said.
The children were removed from the household and have been placed into the care of Child and Youth Services.
The poor conditions inside the home were apparently reported to authorities by a relative of the couple.
“We are very, very happy that a family member was willing to come forward and report this to us. We are very happy with our Children and Youth Services, who removed these children, and our Belle Vernon state police, that continued this investigation long after the children were removed to make the arrest that they did today,” Aubele said.
A search warrant of the home was served on Wednesday and both parents were taken into custody.
Authorities recovered a stun gun, a replica pistol, a surveillance camera, drugs, and drug paraphernalia.
“Based on what I’ve seen, there’s going to be a long process. I won’t speak directly to the children, but I can’t imagine, I mean, I can’t imagine living in a household like what we saw,” Aubele said.
